Search - Some Things That Stay on DVD

It's Nobody's Fault

Artist & Author | Near Mt. Baker, WA | 02/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I review a movie, I look for issues that a family with traditional values can discuss from the picture. This is a rather obscure Canadian movie so it is pretty hard to find - maybe looking on Amazon.ca would be more productive - that looks at the matter of sickness and death from the point of view of a fifteen-year-old girl, Tamara. Her artist father moves them into a house where the teenage son of the owners had died of leukemia. Shortly after moving in, Tamara's mother is diagnosed with tuberculosis and has to leave the family for a sanitarium.

So, Tamara and her younger brother and sister face a number of issues in this movie - moving to a new location, going to a new school, dealing with a serious illness, etc. It happens that the neighbors across the road from them are (supposedly) Baptists so Tamara soon is faced with the issue of religion. [Her mother is an avowed atheist, but wise enough to let Tamara decide for herself whether to go to church or not.] For Evangelical Christian families, this family presents some interesting issues. The kids swear like a military sailor. What kind of Christian testimony is that? When Tamara starts to pick up some of the language, her father in no uncertain terms let her know she is not to use that kind of language. Is it really by their fruits that one knows the Godly person, not their religious doctrines?

There is one delightful scene where the three girls and two boys go skinny-dipping in the farm pond. (My father grew up skinny-dipping, my wife and I did as well, all our kids did and now my grandchildren are continuing the tradition, so, of course, I could relate.) This is not an erotic scene - for Tamara and her siblings, it is just the way they swam. For the Baptist brother and sister, I think there was a bit of rebellion involved. When the Baptist father discovered them, he "blew his stack." I have a feeling that if Tamara's father had discovered them, he would have joined the kids in cooling off!

After watching hundreds of movies dealing with children, it is also refreshing to see one where the children have both parents. Not only that, they are both very loving parents. Of course, at her age, Tamara was really angry at her father - how well I know. (When my oldest daughter was fifteen, I was the worst dad any girl could have gotten stuck with; when she had her first baby and had to go back to work, I was the one she wanted to care for her precious bundle.) Still Tamara's dad was patient and understanding; and was willing to show his love by giving her a hug when she needed it.

As I understand it, the director of this movie (the real-life mother of the actress who plays Tamara) is a professional photographer. This movie is a little rough around the edges, sometimes feeling disjointed, although the framing of the scenes are very good. Yet, both my wife and I could follow the story. The point of the movie is the question of the meaning illness and untimely death. Why do some people pray and get healed; others pray and still die? Why is it that, if God has anything to do with healing, the religious person's child dies while the nonbeliever recovers?

This film will never be a classic. Nonetheless, it does make you think. If you want fast-paced action, look elsewhere. If you like real human interest stories, this is one film worth looking for. For issues dealing with illness and death, and general family relations, this is a five-star movie. The chopiness, due to the inexperience of the movie-maker, drops it to a four-star movie for me."

Some Things That Stay

rwoody | California | 01/31/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is really a good coming of age movie. Geraint Wyn Davies is really good as the neighbor of this girl. I bought this movie because he is in this movie."